Skoda Octavia RS Facelift Review: Being Genuine

What we like:

Superb handling, braking and steering feel

They fixed the exhaust note

Great spread of comfort and sport at your fingertips

What we dislike:

There's not much to fault

The Octavia RS that came before was an extremely capable sports saloon. There’s nothing much to fault in the way it rides, handles and goes. However, I did not like it. My main issue was how superficial and detached it felt, due to a very synthesised exhaust note.

It seems like Skoda has understood this and reworked the facelifted car beautifully. Although the exhaust note is still softer than I’d like, it at least now sounds more genuine. It’s a return to more honest motoring, which is welcome in this age of going to great lengths to conform to regulations and losing one’s soul in the process. Heck, there are even pops and crackles now in Sport mode, which is something I hadn’t noticed in the previous car. However, you’d really need to strain your ears to hear it.

Other improvements to the car are more subtle, but they give the car just enough updates to keep it competitive. Power is up by 20 PS, and you can feel the difference. There is more urgency to the way boost builds up, although it is still a tad more relaxed than in an equivalent Volkswagen Golf Mk8 GTI. It suits the more GT nature of the car, though. Pair that with the excellent Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) suspension, which allows for almost infinitely variable spread between comfort and sport, the car is simply lovely to drive in virtually all situations. Steering and brake feel are absolutely spot-on, both feeling incisive, sharp and full of feel.

Exterior looks have sharpened, especially with the full matrix LED front headlights. The Octavia RS is the only car in the Octavia range to include this option, and it really defines the front-end look, making it more aggressive and eye-catching.

The interior has largely stayed the same. I’m a fan of the suede materials on the seats, dash and doors, although I do wonder how they’d stand the test of time. Build quality is right up there with its Continental peers, with nary a rattle or creak. The doors close with a reassuring ‘thunk’ too.

The infotainment system and instrument cluster are easy enough to use, especially with a row of shortcut buttons available, but I’d still prefer climate control to be separate from the touchscreen.

Mostly importantly, the Octavia RS remains one of the most resolutely practical performance machines out there. Its liftback boot is a godsend for loading bulky items, while its lengthened wheelbase to allow for massive rear legroom. All this in a 265 PS car that can do 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and be flung around corners with pure joy.

In this 130th anniversary of the brand, it’s nice to see that the Octavia RS still embodies the core values of the Czech car manufacturer, offering more for less.

Photos by James Wong

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